Garment



April 6, 1943. E. c. LINDFELT GARMENT Filed May 15, 1959l A l INVENTOR. Edward CLK/Ziff@ BY 77 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 6, 1943 Ui'iiD STATES BATNT (BFE-:HCE

2 Claims.

My invention relates to garments and chiefly Water-proof or rubberized garments wherein the material is necessarily of such rugged construction that there is relatively little give to it.

Among the objects of my invention is the provision of a new and improved garment of sheet material which is fitted with a tailored collar strap designed so that the upper portion of the garment will snugly hug the body and which is provided with means for attaching the garment to the body so secured to the sheet itself that steady wear and strain upon the attaching portions will not tend to pull or tear holes in the sheet and thereby permit Water collecting on the outside to pass through it and wet the clothes of a wearer.

Another object of my device is the provision of a new and improved water-proof apron with a tailored collar strap of non-stretching material, tapered in width so that when the apron is worn the natural pull upon the water-proof sheet comprising the apron proper will tend to draw the collar strap down more snugly upon the neck and pull the top edge of the apron close to the body. I further provide an additional reenf-orcing breast band at the top edge on the reverse side of the apron stitched thereto only at the top and side edges, for holding the collar straps in place laterally and for minimizing the tendency of the collar straps to tear holes in the sheet itself.

There is also among the objects of my invention the provision of a new and improved strap anchor for attaching the ends of a waist-level strap in such a manner that the strain upon the attached ends of the strap will be minimized, to substantially prevent the pulling `of holes or torn spots in the face of the apron material.

In conjunction with the last mentioned object the sheet of material comprising the apron is designed -to extend toward the rear well under the arm pits at both sides when worn, so as to be snugly wrapped about the body; at the same time, however, it is held by resilient means to permit the person wearing the apron to bend about freely at his work.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is the front view of the apron draped about a human ligure.

Figure 2 is a rear view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the upper portion of one side of the apron.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear View of the mid portion of the apron taken at waist level.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

In providing a water-proof apron particularly of the sort used by mechanics while washing cars, it is necessary to provide a garment of exceptionally strong material which will snugly hug the body while the workman is at his work so as to prevent the wetting of his clothes as he moves about around the car to be washed. In selecting material of suitable strength it is usually necessary to employ a rather thick material with relatively little give to it but by reason of the fact that the man wearing it must bend his body repeatedly in order to get around in his work, it is essential that the apron be so tted and secured to the form of the person wearing it that there will be a suitable amount of give without permitting the apron to become loosened from the body and thereby destroy its effectiveness.

In the form of my invention shown there is provided an apron having a body of front ill of sheetlike material of relatively heavy and strong char-- acter suitably water-proofed by some appropriate process. The apron has a substantially straight front and an enlargement l 2 at the sides at about waist level, permitting it lto be wrapped around the body under the arm pits.

The sheet itself is designed ci suiiicient length so that it extends substantially from the collar of the wearer to a point below his knees. The top edge of the sheet I4 is made substantially narrower than the width at waist level so that it may extend approximately from shoulder to shoulder of the wearer, as best seen in Figure l.

In order to support the sheet upon a wearer there is provided a collar strap i6 comprising a band of a rather wide dimension and made of non-resilient material folded over, preferably, to a double thickness so that the fold is at the front or top edge i3. v

The rear or bottom side 2) of the collar strap is then preferably reenforced with some binding in order that it may permanently retain its shape and length.

While the upper part 22 of the strap is relatively wide it nevertheless is spread. to a gradually wider dimension at the end 2li where it approaches an area of connection to the top edge of the apron. In fact, the width continues to increase to a point 2G somewhat below the top edge of the apron. By thus shaping the tailored collar strap there is provided a much greater area for connecting it to the sheet but more especially there is provided a means for exerting a tendency to pull the rear edge of the collar strap down as a result of any pull upon the sheet itself when the apron is supported upon the body of a wearer.

As an additional reenforcernent and precaution against tearing the sheet, there is provided at the top edge a breast band 28 at the reverse side of the sheet l which may be of single thickness but which is entirely loose from the sheet along an edge 30 behind and slightly below the topmost edge Ill. The breast band, collar strap and sheet lll are securely stitched together along lines 32 and this construction tends to materially assist the upper portion of the sheet in holding the ends of the collar strap together to the dimension provided.

At about waist level I provide strap anchors consisting of flaps 34 as best seen in Figure 4, which are sewed to the sheet at edges 36, 38 and 40, there being likewise provided an additionally sewn portion 42 extending substantially horizontally across the middle of the ilap. The ilap thus anchored to the sheet is used in turn as an anchor for a tie strap or waist band designed for holding the apron tc the waist of a wearer.

The strap end as best seen in Figure is sewed or otherwise secured to the ap 34 at a point 134 between the flap 313 and the sheet IU but the stitching or other securing means which holds the strap end to the flap does not extend through the sheet itself. A similar anchoring device is shown on the opposite side for the other end of the strap. The strap 46 of suitable resilient material has one end permanently secured to one of the anchoring flaps and the other end 52 provided with a snap buckle designed to engage a ring 54 which is permanently anchored to the other anchoring nap. The strap 46 is provided with an adjusting device 48.

When the apron is Worn it is slipped over the head of a wearer so that the collar strap IB and especially the rear edge 29 thereof ts snugly about the neck of the wearer, the rear edge 20 being drawn downward by the weight of the sheet itself into snug engagement with the wearers collar. The portions I2 of the sheet fall naturally into position under the arm pits and are drawn into position at the waist of the wearer by means of the resilient strap 46 thus pulling the garment tightly about the wearers body.

'As the wearer bends in moving about, a pull will be exerted upon various portions of the sheet I0 but the pull thus exerted will tend to accentuate the snug fitting of the neck band about the collar since each tendency to pull will tend to pull the rear edge 20 more snugly against the wearer.

The resilient strap 46, however, tending as it does to expand whenever the pull upon it becomes sufficiently great, will continuously hold the sheet against the body at waist level without exerting such a force as will tear or otherwise damage the apron,

There has thus been described a suitable waterproof garment of specially tailored construction designed to supply maximum comfort and maximum protection to the wearer while still permitting him the freedom of movement necessary while working with the garment upon his body.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure, or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

l. A water-proof apron of tailored construction comprising a protector sheet for covering the front of the body, said sheet being provided with a relatively narrow top edge extending from shoulder to shoulder, a collar strap for suspending the sheet from the neck comprising a wide, double-thick band of non-stretching material folded at the front edge and reenforced with binding at the rear edge, said strap having its rear edge portion spread to a wider dimension at the ends, attaching means for securing, said ends to the top edge of said sheet wherein the rear edges of the sheet comprise elongations of the rear edges of said strap and form a gradual curve where joining the rear edge of the lower portion of the apron, the rear portion of said ends being adapted to draw the strap to fit the neck when the apron is worn, and providing additional area for attachment of the strap to said sheet, said sheet having an enlargement at both sides extending toward the rear at about waist level, and strap anchors on the enlarged portion at said level comprising aps secured to the sheet and strap ends secured to said flaps while lying against but unattached to said sheet to minimize tearing of said sheet, and a tie strap connected to said anchors to secure the apron to the waist of a wearer.

2. A water-proof apron of tailored construction comprising a protector sheet for covering the front of the body over an area from substantially the collar to a point below the knees, said sheet being provided with a relatively narrow top edge extending from shoulder to shoulder, a collar strap for suspending the sheet from they neck comprising a wide, double-thick band of nonstretching material folded at the front edge and reenforced with binding at the rear edge, said band having a rear portion spread to a wider dimension at the ends, attaching means for securing said ends to the top edge of said sheet, the rear portion of said ends being adapted to draw the band to fit the neck when the apron is worn, and for providing additional area for attachment of the strap to said sheet, a breast band extending across the top edge at the reverse side of said sheet, said breast band being unattached along its lower edge to said sheet, for minimizing the tearing of said sheet and for holding the ends of the straps together, said, sheet having an enlargement at both sides extending toward the rear at about waist level, and an upper rear edge cut in a direction making an angle substantially greater than degrees with the top edge of said b-reast band so that tension on said upper edge draws the breast band against the body, relatively wide strap anchors on the enlarged portion at said level comprising flaps secured at upper and lower edges thereof to the sheet and strap: ends secured only to said flaps intermediate said upper and lower edges for drawing said waist line against the body when tension is applied and to minimize tearing of said sheet, and a resilient tie strap connected to said anchors to secure the apron to the waist of a wearer.

EDWARD C. LINDFELT. 

